JPS61185803A - Lamp apparatus for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a type of vehicle lighting system in which the color of the light produced by a lamp cannot be easily detected when the lamp is not lit.

This reduces the risk, for example, when the sun is shining that the lighting device appears to be on when in fact it is not.

British Specification Tube No. 1266129 discloses a light beam having a generally triangular cross-section having a plurality of parallel longitudinal strips in which lenses are embedded, each strip having one triangular end coinciding with the surface of the lens spaced from the light source. A type of lighting device consisting of a conductive member is disclosed. The invention relates to the provision of a lighting device of this type which provides an improved configuration.

According to the invention, a vehicle lighting device includes a light source and a light-conducting member having a plurality of parallel strips formed from a light-absorbing material and embedded such that one end of the light-conducting member coincides with a surface remote from the light source. , lens means arranged between adjacent strips to focus light from the light source, and a septum element made of a light-absorbing material extending perpendicularly to one side of the light-conducting member in the direction of the light source, each septum element comprising: Each is arranged in one of the parallel strips.

The strips and septum are formed as solid T-shaped elements, with each strip forming a cross member of the T-shaped element and the corresponding septum forming its handle. Some of the stems of the T-shaped elements extend inwardly beyond the inner surface of the photoconductive member.

The partition wall is also separate from the strip and disposed adjacent to the side of the photoconductive member opposite the side in which the strip is embedded. Lens means for focusing light between the strips includes lens elements formed on the inner surface of the light-conducting member. Also,
Additionally, a separate lens member is provided.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The lamp shown in Figure 1 comprises a light bulb 10 from which the light is collected by a parabolic reflector 14, the collimated light being formed by a transparent plastic colored according to the desired color of the emitted light. The light is input to a photoconductive member 16 made of material.

The photoconductive member 16 has a uniform cross-section T embedded in such a way that its outer surface is at the level of the surface of the transverse member of the T-shaped element.
It has a row of parallel elements 18 of the type. The inner surface of member 16 has a cylindrical lens element 20 between the ends of the arms of T-shaped element 18 onto which the converging light from reflector 12 is illuminated.

The material forming the T-shaped element 18 is generally opaque and at least its exposed surface is a medium gray color or a color matching the color of the adjacent exterior of the vehicle in which the lamp is used.

In use, when bulb 10 is off, the predominant color of the exposed front surface of photoconductive member 16 is the color of T-shaped element 18. On the other hand, when the light bulb 1o is lit, the emitted light colored by the transparent material of the photoconductive material 16 is dominant and the lamp appears to have the desired color.

In FIG. 2, cover plate 16 has been replaced by cover plate 24, which has an embedded T-shaped element 26 similar to element 18. In FIG. In addition to this, some of the T-type elements, such as element 28,
It has a handle 30 that protrudes sufficiently beyond the inner surface of the photoconductive member 24. Light incident from the outside of the lamp, passing between the ends of adjacent T-shaped elements, and reflected by the reflector 12 is not collected, but is mostly absorbed by the partition formed by the elongated handle 10. Absorbed.

In FIG. 3, the light conducting member 24 of FIG. 2 is modified by providing a separation color filter 32 at the inner end of the handle 30. In FIG. The photoconductive member 24 itself is formed from a transparent plastic material. Preferably, the color filter 32 is bent inwardly and downwardly so that incident light from outside the lamp is reflected outwardly at either surface and bent toward the ground.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment in which the separation lens member 34 is mounted on the inner end of the handle 30. As shown, this lens member has a cylindrical lens that focuses light between the ends of the transverse members of T-shaped members 28 and 30 and a light-conducting element 36 replaced by element 24. The inner surface of provides a cylindrical lens extending perpendicularly to the lens element 32 for effecting the desired distribution of the light emitted by the lamp.

A similar effect is achieved by the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-3 by providing a circular lens element called a billow optic on the inner surface of the photoconductive member. ) can be provided on the outside of the photoconductive member.

FIG. 5 shows yet another embodiment of the invention in which the T-shaped members are replaced by separation strips and partition walls. A photoconductive member 40 of transparent or at least colorless photoconductive material has a set of parallel extending parallel strips 42 of opaque material embedded in its outer surface.

Three lens elements 44, 46, 48 are arranged parallel to member 40, each lens element being colored according to the desired manner corresponding to the zone of the lamp when lit. For example, lens element 44 may be transparent to provide an inverted lamp, lens element 46 may be red, and lens element 48 may be amber. Each lens element 44, 46, 48 has a strip 42
It has an array of spherical lens forms on its inner surface arranged to focus parallel light into the gap between the two.

A set of horizontally extending partition walls 50 are oriented parallel to the strip 42 and connect the outer member 40 and the lens elements 44, 46 .
Extending between 48 and each corner W! 50 is one of the strips 42
are arranged according to the Vertically extending septa 52 and 54 are arranged for the junction between lenses 44 and 46 and 46 and 48, respectively, and in normal practice the chambers after lens elements 44, 46 and 48 are similarly separated by septum w156. It should be understood that the light beam is divided into two parts, each including means for creating a focused beam of light.

Bulkhead 50 is preferably black, and strip 42 is in another color if desired, such as a color to match the vehicle body color.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5 has the advantage that the septum 50 is placed in front of the colored photoconductive element.

The enhancement of the color perceptual spread of the corresponding lens element appears to be inhibited when the lamp is off.

The two embodiments shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 have an advantage over the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 in that the lens elements have a longer focal length.

In any embodiment of the invention, reflector 12 may be replaced or supplemented by a Fresnel collimator. In addition to this, the T-shaped elements extending across the lamp are each replaced by a row of stud-like elements, and the light-conducting elements 24.
36 may be such that the cross section of the plane perpendicular to the plan view is the same as the cross section of the plan view. Further, the cross bars of adjacent T-shaped elements may be spaced apart and joined together to form a two-dimensional array of apertures.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of the first embodiment of this invention, and FIGS.
, a schematic partial partial view of the fourth embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the fifth embodiment of the present invention. 10...Light bulb, 12...Reflector, 16.40...
Photoconductive member, 18, 26... T-shaped element, 20, 44° 46.48... Lens element, 24... Cover plate, 30... Handle, 50.56... Partition wall.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A light source; a light conductive member having a plurality of parallel strips formed from a light absorbing member on its surface; and a light absorbing member extending perpendicularly to the surface of the light transmitting member toward the light source. a lens member disposed between the strip portion and the light source and having a continuous portion of lens elements, each of the partition elements being disposed to correspond to one of the parallel strips, respectively; , and formed thinner than the width of the corresponding strip, wherein each lens element focuses light from a light source into a respective gap between adjacent strips.